Sir Gareth Southgate Says He Does Not Miss Managing England After Euro 2024 Exit

Sir Gareth Southgate, who managed England's national football team for nearly eight years, has expressed that he does not miss the role and feels relieved to be free from the heavy responsibilities it entailed. Southgate led England to two consecutive European Championship finals, including the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain, and a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup, the team's best since 1990. He was recently knighted for his services to English football, becoming only the fourth England manager to receive this honor. Southgate emphasized the constant pressure he experienced, reflecting on how every day was consumed with thoughts on improving the team and managing player dynamics. His successor, Thomas Tuchel, has criticized the England team’s lack of clear identity during Southgate’s tenure, but Southgate chose not to respond directly, instead focusing on giving the new team and management space to move forward. Despite the team's recent friendly defeat to Senegal, Tuchel has started well in World Cup qualifiers, and Southgate remains positive about the team's future progress.